The Stars Don't Shine Nearly as Bright
by ShaYneYeofThEcrEatoR
Summary: I would like to point out as always that I've very bad at this. Keith has been distant lately, and he knows it. But he's not sure how to fix it. But Lance has an idea, one he won't share with Keith. It looks like the Black paladin is just going to have to trust his right hand man and long time lover to lead them through this rough patch into a happily ever after. See I told you.


The Stars Don't Shine Nearly as Bright

"You're doing it again." Lance's tone wasn't accusatory. Simply tired. Keith didn't jump as his lover walked up behind him on the moonlit balcony (though the Hispanic's steps had been soft footed he'd still heard the approach. His training in the Blade had seen to that.) Simply leaned into the abiding heat that Lance offered. The chilled skin of his back pressed flush against the darker boy's bare chest.

"What am I doing?" Keith sighed closing his eyes, constellations more splendid than what had been before his gaze clear behind his lids. Lights of stars he'd long had memorized. So far from him now.

"Oh, okay. Lets play dumb then." Keith couldn't help but snort at Lance's words, wondering, hoping that this would be the end of this conversation. He couldn't bare to have it again. For all the circular arguments to turn into yelling. To feel all of the fight drain out of him as Lance's tears fell from those ocean eyes, threatening to drown him.

Keith could feel the sigh that rippled through his lover's body before Lance began to hum tunelessly. The low sound a tense vibration between them. Keith stiffened, pulling in a deep slow breath and holding it for just a few ticks. He didn't have to wait long before the other man spoke again.

"So I've been thinking-"

"That's a first-"

So used to their usual banter Lance didn't even skip a beat. "Trying to figure out some way to… to make this better for you Keith."

The half galran began to turn in Lance's arms, wanting to face the other as he spoke, guilt already twisting his stomach like a luxite blade. "You don't have too-" Lance's grip constricted further, and Keith found himself unable to move.

"I want to though. You… you chose to stay here on Earth with me. And I want to make sure that you never have a reason to regret that.

"Lance-" Keith's voice was strained.

"Let me finish! Please. I…have an idea. And it might be stupid or just a temporary fix, but I still wanna try it."

Finally Lance relaxed enough for Keith to turn around within his hold. But it was the only part of the other that wasn't rigid with obvious nerves, if he were readying to run, or fight. Though they stood at the same height the Cuban man was looking down to avoid the other's amethyst gaze.

Keith shifted until an arm was freed, moving to run his calloused fingers along Lance's strong jawline. Contrast between their skin tones starker beneath the starlight. Lifting his chin until those cerulean eyes finally rose to meet his own. Both determination and doubt mixed into such a potent cocktail within those swirling navy depths that Keith's heart ached with it, throbbing with every beat until this suspense broke over into his words.

"Well I can't say no when you look at me like that."

Keith expected a smile to break over Lance's forlorn features as it normally would whenever the darker haired male gave in like this, but the serious look remained and the other began to worry his bottom lip between his teeth.

In a sudden move that betrayed his own concern with Lance's unusual behavior Keith breached the small distance between them. So swift was this claiming kiss that the tawny skinned boy only had time to pull in a quick gasp as his cobalt eyes widened before hot lips were against his own, Keith's teeth replacing Lance's sharp against the raw bottom lip. Tongue sliding freely into Lance's mouth who responded in kind, leaning forward in such a way that shocked the longer haired male. With how he'd been acting it would have been expected that he retreat under such an onslaught. But his toned arms squeezed harder, holding the former black paladin ever closer.

Neither was eager to end the passionate exchange, and neither would admit to having been the first to pull away. It didn't matter how many times they kissed. This bliss never grew old. It was one of those silent ways in which they could understand each other. This time was no different. It was like Keith could taste Lance's hesitation. An acrid flavor upon his buds as he studied the other, a question in his eyes that never made it past his now kiss swollen lips.

Lance had already moved. Visibly grasping onto whatever hair brained idea had sprung into his mind tenaciously and tugging Keith back into the room. The half-galran's eyes landed on the bed, still mussed from when he'd woken barely an hour ago from a nightmare-or had it been a memory? 

But that was now far from his thoughts as his pupils blew wide within the mulberry eyes, unconsciously running his tongue along his lips. The recollection of Lance upon them too easy to pull up. The want for them to be against his own once more intense.

But Lance walked them past the bed and into the master bath. A large brightly lit room with sparkling tiles inlaid with intricate designs. Before the individual sinks were stools with plush upholstered seats. All of this due to his lover's extravagant tastes. Not that Keith could complain as he was pushed into a comfortable chair.

Lance's nerves truly showed through in the profound silence that echoed louder than any argument would in the space as he turned and began to pull a number of items out from their various homes of cupboards and drawers without any explanation. Keith watched on, nonplussed and clueless as to what exactly he was looking at besides what he could only assume was Lance's normal assortment of washes and creams.

"What are we -" he finally began to ask, but before he could finish Lance had spun back around and was slipping something soft over Keith's head.

"Lance what?" Keith grabbed the other's wrist to halt him, tone sharper than he'd meant it to be.

For a moment the azure eyed boy looked about ready to explain himself finally before a sly smile turned his lips up, the first one Keith had yet seen to grace those darkly handsome features. A long finger was deliberately brought up to soft lips and Keith found himself speechless even as more words welled up against his own closed lips as he watched.

"Shut up and trust me." He stated, no hint of the previous worry in his teasing tone. Only a dark swirl of indigo around his irises that belied the words. Keith though didn't point this out, simply chose to ignore it. Despite this none answer Keith felt his shoulders relax some as a bit of the unease escaped his body. Whenever those words left either of them they were helpless against them.

As his wrist was freed Lance was able to fully situate what Keith now realized was the other's sleep mask.

In the sudden darkness that enveloped him he became acutely aware of the sound of his own breath, his own heart beat. Both a bit swifter than he would like to admit. Keith pulled in a deep breath, trying to will himself to calm, to convince his instincts that there was no danger here.

The longer haired male had just about evened out his breath and slowed the beat of his heart. (All thanks to the skills he'd been trained to use) when a very sudden very cold _something _was placed against his shoulder. He jolted, breath hitching and heart, now a staccato rhythm, had jumped up into his throat.

"Hold still." Lance murmured softly, close to Keith's ear, breath ghosting across the lobe and ruffling his bangs. All sensations that he'd never taken note of before but which now seemed amplified. He couldn't stop the shiver that rippled down his neck and spread across his nerve endings like sparks dancing. 

The wetness of this silken touch continued to play ever so gently across his left arm. Every so often it would pull away from his skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake, only to meet again with more of the chilled moisture. The first time he'd tried to speak Lance had hushed him, claiming that he needed to concentrate.

On what Keith still had no idea.

What he did know was that his heart rate had picked up once more, and that I was not slowing down anytime soon. Is that he'd been too focused on himself to have lost track of where Lance was before, and all because of a simple blindfold. Kollivan would be so disappointed in him. He rectified that mistake in the doboshes to follow. Now he could feel the tremble of his lover's hand through whatever it was that pulled and pushed down his arm. The soft puffs of air that Lance would release after a few ticks of holding his breath in obvious thought right before a fresh drag of cool liquid met with Keith's body. How each stroke grew more and more confident. As Lance continued to work he began to hum tenderly. The tune one that the other recognized. It was a lullaby that the Cuban boy often sang, not even aware of it. Though the half galran did not understand as the low croon flowed into Spanish words that fell like a spell to soothe away his last nerves he'd not even been aware he still held.

Lance's hands, somehow still so supple even with the same amount of time spent training and fighting, lifted Keith's own and the man felt hot lips press into his palm for a moment that was much too short.

"Hold your hand here for me." The other's words barely even broke the melody as he spoke the command.

"Yessir." Keith's own voice was raspy, and the sound of it caught him off guard. Lance snorted and the mullet haired youth could practically see the smirk alight over the tanned countenance.

Lance seemed to be coating each and every finger with whatever this creamy substance was. Digits twitched as this new and strange sensation tickled across the meat of his roughened palm like a cool kiss.

The pitch of Lance's lullaby rose like a question to which Keith simply murmured "ticklish," in a voice more like a breath. He cleared his throat but spoke no more.

"Keep your hand up for me."

Keith wasn't even sure he could find his voice at this point in time so he merely nodded in a jerking motion.

If not for the continued lyrical serenade Keith would have lost track of Lance in the abiding darkness. Yet he was still not prepared as his back alighted with this barely there touch. His spine arched and Keith almost missed the way that Lance's breath hitched in the sound of his own bit back gasp.

The work continued. This fluid dripping down his shoulder blades. Before shifting under his arm and over his ribs, circling around to his stomach.

"My big strong man can't hold his arm up anymore?" Lance's voice broke through the almost trance like state Keith had found himself in and he cleared his throat once more. Becoming aware that his hand had indeed started to shake. Before he could give the other an answer he was already speaking again. "Or is it because this part is ticklish too?" Keith could hear in Lance's voice the laughter behind those words and heat flooded down through his body. Or perhaps he was just now noticing this. How the warmth had built up inside of him like a fire stoked. A subtle burgeoning ember. Every unseen motion of Lance's more kindling.

Speaking of, the other man made a flourishing swirl up and around the muscled expanse of Keith's chest. An action that pulled a soft moan from him when the utensil flicked against a taught nipple as it was pulled back. Keith couldn't be sure that Lance hadn't done that on purpose.

If Keith turned his focus onto keeping his hand still where it hovered aloft where Lance had bid him keep it, then he could pretend to ignore this licking heat as flickering flames dripped down his insides like lava, crackling against his very bones they came to settle, cradled in his pelvis. Or how, as Lance added details to his dampened flesh, layering this luscious substance upon his stomach now, his manhood twitched to life, sensitive head brushing against the soft cotton fabric, lightly at first, but growing ever tighter.

But it was impossible to pretend he could not feel how Lance, who seemed to have remained mercilessly unaware of the condition he had placed Keith in (or if he had noticed was now cruelly teasing the half galran boy) rested his hand upon Keith's thigh. Bracing his weight there as he carried on with this secret. Keith's own curiosity was overrun by the blood which roared through his veins and pounded in his ears as it rushed southwards.

Without meaning too Keith rocked his hips upward, just as Lance's name dropped from his lips as a whisper. A plea.

Keith heard the sigh that the other released, but without being able to see Lance's face he wasn't sure if that was a good thing, or a bad one.

All Keith could really do was _feel. _Like how his cheeks were suddenly blazing hot how, as he shifted slightly on the stool the dewy texture seemed to slip with his skin over rippling and freshly tensed muscles, chilling him. How suddenly Lance's hands, so warm in comparison to whatever he'd been painting all over Keith were teasing the elastic edges of his sweat pants. They ran from where Keith's abdomen set a V below his belly button, dancing around his hips and coming to rest as a sure pressure at the small of Keith's back.

The half galran tried to convince himself that he was shivering because of how the air hit against his saturated skin. Keith tried to keep his body still. Tried to anticipate Lance's next move.

An impossibility it turned out for as soon as he felt the other man's head come to rest upon his knee Keith jolted much to his own embarrassment.

"We're almost done mullet, do ya think you can hold out?"

Keith shook his head vehemently, and he somehow felt Lance's steamy breath upon his now fully erect member through the material as the other boy huffed out a soft chuckle. Pre cum dribbled from his slit and a dark spot appeared. "Really? Or do you just not want to wait?"

Keith straightened up in offense, about to point out that he'd endured much worse during training with the blade, but realized how flawed his logic was…. If he could handle than he cold handle this right?

No. not at all. Lance had such a way about him. And Keith was weak to it. He couldn't help the sheepish grin that graced his features right beneath the flush.

"I think you know." Was his simple gruff reply.

"Impatient." Again Keith's body jerked when Lance moved, parting the pale boy's legs easily as he pushed his head forward, nuzzling against his lovers groin. "But if I take care of you now there's no touching allowed. And no peaking while I'm… otherwise occupied." There was a strange tone hinted in the other voice and Keith's tilted his head, trying to pinpoint what it could possibly allude too. A warning?

But his hands had frozen mid air where they'd dashed to comb through Lance's short locks. Halting just above them. Keith could practically feel the silken strands tickling against his palms. He gulped, unsure for a moment… until his cock twitched with need and the darkened patch at the front of his pajama bottoms spread as Lance began to mouth over it through the cloth.

"Fine okay~" Voice tight as he agreed. He almost thought, expected even, that Lance would say something jokingly about how good of a boy Keith was being (something that drove him mad in more ways than one) but the hands that had been idle now began to work Keith's sweats off of him. He scooted himself forward on the stool until he felt he might fall and lifted himself obligingly. A deep sigh escaped him as, almost too slowly, his member was freed. Bouncing excruciatingly as the band pulled the tip down only to be released a tick later.

Palms that seemed too hot scorched against his inner thighs, and Keith's growl was cut off as a searing line of saliva was branded from the seem of his sack to the very tip of his cock, devious tongue circling around the glands once, twice, thrice, before Keith was finally pulled fully into the other's mouth.

Lance had always been expressive with his mouth. Even more so when he was showing Keith exactly how much he was loved. Impressively, for as long as he and Lance had been together the man had never shown any hint at having a gag reflex.

It was somehow even more intense than usual. While Keith absolutely loved the sight of the other man's dark lips, so used to flashing mischievous masking smirks, stretched wide about his girth, member disappearing bit by bit into the other. This… this lack of knowing, of any semblance of control, it was intoxicating, it was overwhelming.

The hand free of anything coating it snapped to support the other as the tremors began to travel across his entire body. The only sounds (for once) beneath his own embarrassingly wanton moans was the wet slide and set of the other's mouth against his own manhood. And Keith tried to bite his voice back, his arousal stirred further by the symphony of titillation, it was something else new. He never got to simply listen to Lance pleasure him. His own ragged breathing and stuttering heartbeat creating a rhythm.

The speed at which Lance's head bobbed increased and the sounds that Keith had been holding back as he tried to concentrate on keeping any semblance of authority over himself broke from his lips and his head fell back. Moan upon bliss filled moan was showered upon the other as each downward motion took more. Until the very base was warmed by the ravenous mouth and Lance stayed there, enveloping his lover to the hilt, tongue idly playing across the flesh it could reach while throat muscles twitched when he swallowed.

Without being able to see Keith could swear he experienced this culmination of crest as each individual nerve ending lit up. Pinpoint exactly where in his body this orgasmic pressure pooled.

It was all happening much faster than normal. Maybe it was just that other times Lance would find ways to drag it out. Would tease with little licks and small smooches. Would slip in joking jabs and willful words.

But here, now, the other man was rushing almost, ushering on a swift end so that his own scheme could come to completion.

And it was working. Better than Keith would ever care to admit. Not a single ounce of pleasure was lost despite the alacrity.

With a strangled gasp that tangled in his throat with Lance's name Keith came, his lover's tongue like an undulating wave, subtle and heralding as he milked Keith. Afterward, when the black paladin slumped forward some and utterly spent, Lance continued kneading the flesh within his mouth until it grew overly sensitive from the touch.

Keith must have made some sort of noise that even he was barely aware of for Lance gulped down every warm drop that had been sloshing around before pulling fully off of his boyfriend.

"Jesus fuck." Keith panted almost running the wrong hand back through his hair, which he could feel sticking to his sweat dampened forehead. He barely caught himself as he heard Lance smacking his lips.

"I know I'm good aren't I?" Keith couldn't help the carefree way in which his laughter bounded out of him but before he could give any sort of answer, or offer to return the favor Lance was apparently already back to business, as a cool swipe of the cream was brushed atop Keith's thigh. There it was again, the nerves so cleverly hidden lit up like gunpowder, or perhaps Keith's previous arousal had simply made him all the more receptive. And this time the longer haired male did not have the privilege of cloth to hide how his cock twitched back to life.

But Lance wasn't taking this moment to tease him further, was not filling the silence with playful words or impish implications. The Cuban man was simply working on is silence, and Keith was hard pressed to talk, despite his usual demeanor, as the almost ticklish sensation began to amp him up once more. He followed the designs that Lance was tracing in his mind, but could still make no sense out of it, only knew that it trailed like ivy or swirling clouds around his hip, filling out the top of his leg.

His cock swelled to full standing in plain view, and Keith resisted the urge to hide himself.

The brush pulled away from his chilled flesh, quickly cooling after his orgasm. It left behind a deeper chill in the quiet.

"I told you we were almost done, didn't I?" Lance spoke and his voice, filled with awe, caught Keith by surprise. Once more Keith could hear anxiety slipping back into the other's tone, no matter how carefully he tried to hide it. Or perhaps Keith's lust was making _him _paranoid.

The hush stretched on… Neither voice nor brush interrupted it, movement nor breath disturbed it until Keith could no longer take it.

"Lance?" His voice sounded coarse in the still air of the bathroom.

"Sorry-Sorry!" Keith could practically see how the other man would jump at his name, but why had he been quiet for so long?

"Everything okay there sharpshooter?"

"You're…. _beautiful_." Keith could barely hear the breath that Lance had released, words a flutter of drifting dust. But his own reaction was instantaneous. The flush of his cheeks which had begun to recede rose up anew. The warmth of it spreading all the way up to the tips of his ears (thankfully hidden by his heavy hair) and flowed down to kiss across his shoulders and collarbone in a wave of fever. He didn't have time to fight down his embarrassment, or to reply to Lance (not that he had any idea of what he could even say!) and so he was saved in that regard as Lance's abrupt grip upon the barren hand was yanked upwards.

Perhaps Lance had just simply forgotten that Keith was still sightless. Or the man held all together too much faith in Keith's ability to move while blind. For the red paladin was tugging him along through the house, and he stumbled along behind him. Words like 'wait' and 'slow down' left back in the bathroom.

Their home was not too large, nor overly messy. But Lance did have a habit of leaving clothes out. So strewn about their room were a few items from the previous day. And there was a moment where Keith's bare feet slid precariously across a bundle of fabric, tangling before he was able to right himself. The final few steps he took felt like falling.

Before Keith could find his balance Lance had ripped the sleep mask up and off his lovers head, leaving the man more disoriented than before. He blinked as light flooded his vision, and the blur of what was right before him faded in intervals.

It took him a moment to understand that Lance had thrust him in front of the cheval mirror at the end of their bed. And it took him even longer to recognize himself reflected back. In fact the first thing he noticed was Lance standing behind him, still shirtless, odd smears of colorful make up coated at random across his forarms. His hadns were clasped tightly before him and even as Keith looked on the man's dark fingers were wringing around each other. His eyes were wide as they look on expectantly, his excitement betrayed by how light of a blue danced with in their normally dusky depths despite how his brows were drawn together and angled downwards in open worry.

It was the most unmasked that Keith had seen his lover in a while.

The half falran steadied himself in Lance's gaze within the glass, though their eyes did not catch, his boyfriend was too busy taking in all of Keith

So finally he did the same.

Keith turned his eyes back to himself, still not entirely recognizing who stood before him in the reflection. There was much of the familiar mixed in with such dreamlike differences that he himself wondered if he were perhaps still sleeping.

His hair was messier than usual, pitch locks sticking up at chaoticly odd angles not only due to having recently woken up, but how roughly Lance had pulled off the covering.

There was nothing different about his face save for the expression of amazement that graced his features.

But beneath that his body had been transformed into a surreal landscape.

Dark violets and indigos had been swirled together in an amaranthine design that bloomed across the majority of his torso and twisted up and around one arm. Brighter reds and oranges created clusters of stars and spiraled inward, fashioning a galactic effect that took Keith's breath away. O many different hues were used, giving the darker shades such depth that Keith felt as if he could easily fall into himself. He stopped studying this masterpiece in his reflection and began to simply look down at himself. His dark amethyst eyes tracing the patterns found across his flesh, recognizing a few of the constellations from their time spent out amongst the stars. Keith turned in place, looking over his shoulder to see even more of the ornate nimbus impression over his shoulder blades and down his spine. The markings flowed so seamlessly with the outline of the man's figure that he could barely tell where he ended and this work of art began

Lance had painted the universe for him, and Keith had been his canvas.

"I-I don't know what to say- how…" Keith finally murmured, unable to even finish his question. Words not suffice enough to convey his amazement.

"Then don't say anything." What normally might have been a teasing attempt at being suave from Lance came out as entirely sincere. Shocked Keith turned his mulberry eyes towards his lover. He was fidgeting now, his nerves trickling out of him in little uncontrollable movements that eventually broke forth as a torrent of words.

"You know the entire time we were up there I might have only been looking at you, but I wasn't blind Keith. I always saw how you studied the stars. Like they had some sort of secret that you just had to have…" Lance had begun to gesture wildly, but brought his hands back in, scratching the back of his head in frustration as he struggled around his explanation. "And well, everyone else was looking too ya know! Memorizing each system we passed through, counting them, because that was what lay between us and home, or us and family, or… you know? But you… you only ever wanted to be out _in _them. That was plain for everyone to see!" He continued talking. But Keith had stopped listening. Instead his eyes began to rake down over his lover's form. Unlike himself Lance was still at least partially clothes. His pajama bottoms made of royal blue satin hung suggestively from his tawny hips, cocked out to the side as he shifted relentlessly. The elegant fabric did little to hide the way Lance's manhood was stiffened, bobbing tantalizing with each restless movement.

So Lance hadn't been as unaffected earlier as Keith had believed.

A feral smile turned Keith's lips upward, but the other hadn't yet noticed the change in his boyfriend.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is-" Lance was turning towards the bed.

Keith never found out what it was his lover had been trying to say. The half galran couldn't hold himself back any longer.

With an almost catlike lunge Keith tackled Lance, who's voice broke off in an undignified yelp as they both toppled over onto the bed. The black paladin landed on top, smirking down at the other male, who's blue eyes were blown wide, pupils so dilated that the thin circle of cerulean around it was akin to a halo. His choclate hair mussed by the abrupt fall.

"What are you~ahh~" Lance pulled in a harsh breath as the other male rolled his hips downwards. His own bare member lining up flush with Lance's with only the thin fabric between them. Yet the friction pushed a reverberating shiver enticingly up through Keith's body, and he could see the same thing reflected in Lance, who's hands dashed to Keith's hips, only to stop short. Keith knew what was going through his boyfriend's mind. The paint wasn't fully dry.

But Keith didn't care.

After seeing the galaxies whirling across his body in such beautifully complex chroma he'd wanted to see the same on Lance.

In a swift move that affirmed his years of training as both a paladin and a blade Keith grabbed both of Lance's wrists. He ignored the other man's half stuttered protests as he brought the right hand up to his mouth. Lips were pressed lightly against Lance's palm, trailing a teasing line of miniscule kisses up the lined center until he reached the stained digits. Keith hummed happily, closing his eyes for a brief moment before he parted his lips and enveloped Lance's fingers. The droplets of body paint that covered them didn't taste like anything in particular and he slipped his tongue between three digits, thoroughly coating them.

While that was going on he pressed Lance's other hand into his chest, feeling the almost silken give of the body paint as it smudged downward. His own hand slid over the toned muscle of his lover's forearm, dragging the sparkling beryl down the olive skin.

Keith's lips curled around Lance's fingers in a smirk and he pulled them free from his mouth with a pop. His right hand had made it to Lance's shoulder and he used this to brace himself as he leaned forward, guiding the other's newly slicked digits to his ass.

Lance's objections died down, a flush beginning to kiss lightly upon his cheeks as he began to knead the supple flesh.

Keith allowed the other man to tease him for a moment, his impatience satiated for now. He'd become mesmerized with the almost ethereal visual of running his saturated hand in a cascading line athwart Lance's unblemished skin. Spreading everything that had been on his hand across the smooth expanse of chest. The array of tones appeared much richer against Lance's dusky body. Keith couldn't help but admire it. Stars shining brighter than ever, none of the luster lost in the transfer.

A low moan was breathed from Keith's lips as a digit finally penetrated the ring of muscle, massaging his insides in preparation.

Lance suddenly surged upwards, catching Keith off guard with a passionate kiss. He tried to fight for control for a moment but was helpless as his attention was split. Keith arched his spine, rocking back on the digits working inside of him and bringing their chests flush against one another. The paint like a sheen of oil between their bodies. A tongue pried apart his lips and began to map out his mouth (as if it weren't memorized already)

It was almost as if the red paladin were breathing fire into him. Keith's body responded like a flame to bellows. Heady moans were muffled by Lance's hungry mouth, devoured one after another. The Cuban's other hand, previously trapped between their bodies at the start of the kiss, roamed around the pale painted waist, scattering stars over more skin until it joined its pair at Keith's tight entrance.

Eventually he had to break the kiss right as two more digits merged into him, his muscles burning for a brief tick. He gasped for air and began to gyrate his hips, encouraging Lance to go deeper. Which the other man infuriatingly _didn't do._

The two of them had been together for a long time now. They knew each other's bodies as well as the solar systems they'd battled in.

And so Keith knew after only a few doboshes that Lance wasn't trying to drive him over the edge as he had been earlier. Not yet at least. For the man beneath him could play him like a lute. In barely any time at all they could have each other leaking pre and teetering so lusciously over the edge that they wouldn't be able to tell what they wished for more, for it to end, or to never stop. (as illustrated earlier of course)

But right now was not one of those times and Keith could not tell if Lance were teasing him, lending the half galran those excruciating _almost there_ touches while simultaneously pushing onto him sensations that he'd grown to enjoy; being so thoroughly stretched out which in turn sent more subtle ripples of pleasure coursing through him, both slowing and intensifying his build up, or if Lance was simply wanting to get him ready as quickly as he could.

When it continued on Keith _knew_ that it was on purpose however and buried his face in the others neck. "Please~" He murmured against Lance's heated skin, desperation embarrassingly clear even as he tried to hide it with his endearing nuzzling.

Keith felt more than heard the other's rumbling chuckle, a sensation that startled him as it vibrated against his ribcage.

"This is revenge-"

Keith growled. "Damnit Lance-" the black paladin did not have the capacity of thought to guess at what his boyfriend meant in that moment and so, after nipping at a bronzed ear a bit harder than was necessary (and giving a brief apologetic lick, tongue laving the rim) he pushed himself up. Keith reached behind himself, easily finding the outline of Lance's rigid ego. In an easy motion he'd freed it from the cloth confines. A hiss escaped the male beneath him and fingers slid out of the opened hole to clutch at Keith's hips, indenting the pliant muscle there.

"What'reyou-" he breathed, words running into one another as it was quite clear what Keith was doing. He positioned the radiating fervor of Lance at his opening. "Wai-" Lance's voice rose in an echoing moan as Keith slammed down. His cry rose as Lance's fell, filling the room as he was filled. Muscles twitching around the sudden but expected invasion. He gave himself no time to adjust to the other man's full length sheathed within him. Gave no time for Lance to form any more half formed and confusing thoughts to put voice too. Instead they sang out in intimate harmony as Keith, with hands braced upon the other's galaxy stained chest, purled his hips, the defined muscles beneath the painted flesh of his own torso tensed and released in a swift building cadence of bliss, making the nebulas dance.

For quite a good few doboshes all Lance could do was throw his head back and tighten his hold upon the other's hips, digits digging so harshly that they breached pain. Which is just where Keith wanted his lover.

He adored this sensation. Lance seated fully within him, girth alighting upon nerves that would otherwise be neglected as he circled his pelvis over the other. And of course once every rotation the weight of his movement blitzed against the best part, each pass twisting deep at the core of him, every jolt of lightning danced through his body and brought him higher.

Keith felt the change in Lance as eventually the fickle man wished for something different. A new tempo, a fresh position. But before he could move the black paladin shifted his weight forward, a hand snapping up to Lance's neck and pushing him hard into the mattress.

"Don't move." His own voice held an edge to it and Lance's cobalt eyes swirled darker with lust and something else that Keith couldn't quite pin.

Once he was sure his lover had listened Keith's body swayed backwards and he shifted from his knees up onto his feet.

If Lance wanted a bit of a change than Keith would give it to him.

With this newfound leverage Keith had gained he lifted himself up, sighing as he felt the pull on his insides, the emptiness that was left in its wake. The half galran took this motion to the very edge, until he could feel the tug of glands against the ring of muscle, until Lance almost fell completely out of him, before he stopped. Smirking down at the other, enjoying the sight of how much he was struggling to not buck his hips home. Tanned fingers curled into fists so tight at his sides that the knuckles turned white, his jaw had snapped shut, cutting off all of his beautifully lewd noises. Now only Keith's heavy panting could be heard.

Leisurely Keith leaned back until his hands found the bed and took his weight, allowing his legs to fall open, full anatomy exposed. Some of the paint had began to drip down Keith's body with his sweat and dark violet has splattered onto the top of his manhood, creating a strange illusion against the flushed swelling of flesh. With every small change in Keith's position the length bobbed. There wasn't a single tremble in his thighs to bely the effort of this precarious stance.

The stutter of Lance's breath created a counter against his own piercingly in the otherwise quiet room as Keith ever so steadily began to lower himself. Every centimeter his body gave to Lance was felt as a separate and concentrated awareness that layered on top of one another.

Keith would never admit out loud but he'd needed the breather, he'd felt as if his climax had been just about to break over him, but he wanted this to last longer. Wished to savor every gilded sensation. The measure that Keith set this time around was unhurried and his lids slipped closed, drawing his focus inward upon his own body in relation to Lance's.

It wasn't the same as it had been earlier, when there'd been no choice to his sightlessness. Then it had been exciting. Unknown. It had caused the adrenaline to spark through his veins, his heart to pump faster and his body to grow weak with it. But now… now…

Keith was saved the need for a comparison as he felt his form move in an unexpected way. His stomach flipped along with the rest of him and his merlot eyes snapped open. Lance's azure eyes, so close that Keith could make out the play of hues within them as Love and desire, fury and hope all danced within their depths, pinned Keith more fully to the mattress than the weight of his lover's body did.

For a tick Keith forgot to breath.

So smoothly had Lance switched them that they remained connected through the movement. The world beyond the other's striking countenance was still spinning as Lance began his severe motion, driving into Keith with unforgiving ruts. His entire heft blanketing the man below him. The new stride a hectic one. Chests wash against one another, sweat and paint mingling. Before the half galran could even pretend to regain himself from the sudden reversal (a hard enough task as his system was bombarded with pleasure) Lance had swiftly wrestled both of Keith's wrists into one large hand, trapping them above his writhing form. The dramatic angle lent new depths into Keith and his breathless voice gained traction, toes curling into the soft blankets beneath him as he tilted his hips up to meeting Lance's almost desperate thrusts.

"I'm s-so close~" His words broke out of him as he scrambled after the grip on his control.

"Oh no you don't, no lo creo!" Lance growled and raised himself up, muscles outlines starkly against the painted flesh of his abdomen. He did not slow but simply reaching his free hand down between their rippling bodies, fingers closing around the base of Keith's bobbing cock. "My turn."

The pale chest stained so hypnotically, mirroring a fantasy night sky, constellations so far smudged they were no longer recognizable, rose as if a string was connected to his heart, and Lance the puppeteer who had pulled hard enough to free it of his ribcage. His back arched harshly from the sheets, head fallen back as a silent scream rocked from him.

An ache began to work through his body. Unlike the pleasure that Lance usually gifted with his soft love making and steady heart. Where it sank down through his skin in smoldering coils, this sensation which encroached pain so teasingly grew like a living thing from the very core of his bliss. Reaching through his body, filling every limb with a debilitating soreness as creeping tendrils like some growing thing.

After a few ticks here Keith could not pull in a single breath and the world around him whited out he was finally able to tame his own unbound body, reel it back within the grasp of his control. The world took on details again as he gasped in ragged lung-fuls. He focused in on Lance's resounding moans and, using that as an anchor even as the tides of both hurt and ecstasy sought to drag him from the present once more. Keith was just barely able to fight against these currents to keep from drowning in them.

As the world swam back into focus Keith flexed his fingers, arms straining, muscles contracting like fluid night beneath the makeup, but still unable to free himself of Lance's grasp. Finding his own voice anew his groans fluttered from his lips like butterfly wings, light as dust juxtaposing against Lance's guttural sounds. With a start Keith realized that the other man's eyes were closed.

It was a new not all together pleasant emotion. Lance was _always_ watching him. Had always been.

"Lance~" It had taken the man what felt like a varga to find his tongue and form the single name, and the effort it took for him to push through the rest of his words was almost too much as his concentration was splintered, member giving a desperate throb. His voice choked out of him. "Look at me." His demand had sounded more like a plea.

Lance's hips stuttered in the merciless meter, wrinkles appeared at the corner of his eyes as he squeezed them more fully shut.

"Please." It was just the barest whisper of a breath pulled in, as if Keith were already trying to pull it back behind his teeth. He never had to ask Lance for something twice. Had never dreamt of begging.

But he was about too now.

Too much happened all at once.

Before any other sensation registered to Keith he _felt_ how Lance's manhood swelled, girth expanding, stretching out his entrance, a throbbing ripple traveled up the entire length until Keith felt as if he could be filled no more. Despite this though heat erupted inside of him. Not a single droplet of this molten essence slipped free of him. Lance collapsed fully on top of him, releasing the two places in which he had held Keith captive as he did so. Breath was pushed out of Keith just as lightning shot through his entire body, every system tingling with it as he felt his own climax splatter between them where his member had been crushed against their stomachs. It surged through him in emulated response to Lance.

Keith wasn't sure how long it took for the world to reorient as they laid there, a pile of sweat and cum and paint. Ragged breaths evening out, heartbeats returning to normal in tandem as they drummed so close to each other. In this interim the edges of their room were kissed with a more natural light, the shadows turning from deep blue to lilac, and from lilac to a soft powdered pink.

"Hey, what the hell was that." Keith mumbled, voice hoarse.

There was no reply from Lance. The half galran might have thought (filled with incredulity) that the man had gone to sleep on him if not for the way he'd nuzzled into Keith's shoulder, hiding his face.

A twinge of annoyance set a tick above Keith's right eye. He _needed _an explanation. For all of this, right now. And Lance was going to give him one. He wiggled beneath the other, the man's name repeated with less and less irritation and more and more urgency.

Lance had softened and the movement caused him to slip out of Keith. A gush of tepid wetness stickiness cascaded from between his cheeks.

"Come on Lance!" Keith raised his arms above his head, feeling around. "Get-" He lifted a pillow and began to swing it downwards on his lover's head, not sure if he could muster much more. "Up!"

But right before contact was made something blocky and hard along it's fabric edges fell out of the pillowcase and landed right between Keith's eyes.

"Ow!" Keith's body jolted, he'd spoken more out of surprise than any actual pain. He left the pillow atop Lance's immobile head and plucked whatever had fallen on his face up. "What the quiznak is this-" He mumbled, mostly to himself. He didn't have enough vigor left in him to struggle with Lance at the moment.

But before he could truly study what was in his hands Lance had shot up, unbalanced as one arm held him at the other snatched at what Keith held.

Out of simple reflex more than anything Keith lifted his hand, keeping this item that fit so comfortably against his palm just barely out of Lance's reach. His digits lightly explored what he clutched. It was soft beneath his pads but did not give beneath his probing. There wasn't any more time for Keith to figure just what it was for in that moment his boyfriend had dove with a grunt. Keith fell sideways, keeping his arm outstretched.

"Give it back Kei-ooomph!" Keith didn't even know why he was with holding whatever this was from Lance. Perhaps to get a reaction. Maybe he was a little bit curious. Whatever it was the man had squirmed out from under Lance and scurried off the bed.

Lance followed in a less traditional fashion, and now sprawled upside down hanging partially from the side of the frame.

Keith barely bit back a snort. But unsure of how else to react (Normally this would be something the two of them could laugh about together! But Lance had been so uncharacteristically serious) he said the first thought that came to him mind.

"Man we made a mess."

Their sheets, a light periwinkle blue were incrusted with the now dry paint, swaths of deep purple and huge arcs of swirling oranges patterned them in a chaotic muddle. Their bed had faired no better.

Lance slowly slid the rest of the way to the floor, his face carefully blank as he righted himself. For a moment Keith was prepared for anything. To be sprung at again. For Lance to remain silently sulky. But when he spoke Keith was caught off guard again.

"We? I don't think so, more like you." The man's attempt at a normal tone fell short. If it had been anyone but Keith then the ruse might have worked. "You ruin everything." The words were clearly meant as a joke. But the half galran could hear the waver in Lance's voice and despite himself hurt shot through his heart.

"Lance I-"

"Now give me that back." He was interrupted by the other holding out his hand.

Keith started. Looking down. He'd momentarily forgotten he was holding onto anything. Nestled perfectly in the loose cage of his fingers was a small black box. The velvet material lent it a matte finish. His mind ground to a halt as his vision tunneled onto this item. It was as if the tumblers were falling into place and yet he was still missing a piece. Like a word on the very tip of his tongue an idea teased the edges of his mind.

Before he could wrestle it fully into comprehension though Lance took a step forward and that single movement snapped Keith's gaze back to him, eyes wide.

"No. Not until you tell me what the hell is up with you" He stated, tucking away that almost thought for later. One problem at a time.

"Keith!" Lance's voice bordered on a shout, it was visible how he struggled.

The grip on the box had not changed, but his fingers began to shuffle, finding the cold hard cut of the hinge. Keith toyed with it idly even as he shifted his stance, feeling like they were about to fight. If they weren't already.

At the very thought of a fight his body gave an aching throb, muscles reminding him of how hard he'd gotten, more of Lance's cum dribbled out of him as his bearing widened, stringing between his thighs.

While Keith was prepared for Lance's sudden charge he wasn't quite ready enough. His grip, loose as he played with it, tightened too late and as the pressure was applied the seam of the velvet sprang open. Lance's hand collided with Keith's wrist and switched into a clumsy grip. But the box was already falling, the early morning sunlight glinting off a white faceted gem. Lance's momentum carried them both backwards but Keith grabbed onto Lance's opposite forearm with his free hand and was able to keep them upright. For a number of breathless ticks their eyes were locked, both gazes wide, both expressions unreadable. Lance was the first to break it, eyes dropping and cheeks dusted a soft rose color. Keith's own stare followed.

The container had landed softly amongst the fallen sheets, balancing upon the angled hinges to perfectly display the treasure within.

Able now to take in more details Keith goggled, jaw dropping and heart stopped.

An Arusian diamond cut simply, edges so clean they looked as sharp as the edge of a blade, set deep in a dark luxite band.

When the half galran was finally able to tear his focus away from this stunning, this magnificent, this perfect ring and brought his eyes back up to Lance he felt as if a hand had closed cruelly over his heart.

He'd never seen his lover look so vulnerable.

And it was his fault.

But Keith didn't know how to fix it.

The silence stretched on.

Keith felt a stinging behind his eyes. And when he spoke his voice held an embarrassing crackle to it. "How-" He cleared his throat. "how were you going to-" His tongue felt thick in his mouth as shame disguised as warmth rushed up into his cheeks.

Lance didn't let him get anything else out though.

"No."

He tore his own wrist out of Keith's grasp and began to turn. Which is probably why Keith said what he did next.

"Come on Lance tell me what you were going to say!" He pried, capturing the other'shoulder. But Lance wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Fuck off." Oh no, the man's voice was thick with emotion. Keith blinked a few times. "It was going to be perfect.

This was just a whisper. And the last half of the sentiment hung unsaid in the air between them.

Keith had ruined it.

But no. the black paladin couldn't just leave it like this. His eyes flicked quickly down to the ring, which Lance had not even attempted to pick up yet. What would become of them if he didn't fix this now?

"You were going to propose to me with a boner?" Keith raised his brow and was relieved to see the hint of a smile which Lance tried to hide as he turned his face away.

"Let go of me."

Keith did so and Lance began to gather up the stained blankets from the bed.

The half galran mustered every ounce of humor he'd learned from years of dating the jokester before him, hoping that this effort did not fall flat. He made finger guns in his very best impression of Lance and tried to pitch his voice into the same flirtatious tone he'd heard a thousand times over from the other man.

"Keith you're the center of my galaxy- wait no…" His voice returned to normal, if somewhat contemplative, "that would make me a blackhole."

Lance couldn't quite hold back a quick laugh, but swiftly brought an arm up to cover his mouth, cheeks growing rosier by the dobosh. A giddiness stole over Keith at the sight.

"Get bent Keith, that wasn't what I would have said!" Even his voice overflowed with the chuckles that he was trying to hold back. But his eyes flashed in a way that told Keith that his lover was still angry.

The black paladin of Voltron cocked a hip and rested a hand upon it, the shift of body rolling seamlessly up into a shrug. Silently letting Lance know that this was the _exact _scenario that would stay in his head until proven otherwise.

A mistake perhaps. For he could see the precise moment that anger won out and the bedding was dropped onto the floor in a huff.

"If you must know," Lance started, crossing his arms over his bare chest protectively, a hint of remorse entering his manner, shoulders angling inward and slumping down, "it was going to be more along the lines of…" He paused and drew in a deep breath, scarlet flush rising to the very tips of his ears and beginning to creep down his neck. "You _are_ my universe…"

Even though his voice had dropped down to a mere insinuation of sound these words filled the space around them and stole the air from Keith's lungs.

This time Keith did not allow a hush to skulk up amid them, to surround them awkwardly and force them apart.

In what felt like the most natural of movements to him Keith took a few sure steps forward, closing the distance Lance had created in his anger, and sank to one knee.

He settled amongst the now stained linens, and as the sun angled through the windows as it ascended Keith looked like he knelt cradled by clouds lined with stars.

Lance's eyes widened and the man took a half step back.

"I don't have a ring for you Lance." Keith captured the other's hand with his own, pulling it towards his lips, as he continued talking they brushed endlessly against Lance's knuckles. "And I'm not good at planning of… finding the right words. But I love you. And I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Fuck the rest of the universe. There's only you. Will you marry me?

Lance's breath audibly hitched and despite how swiftly his lids fluttered his eyes still grew glazed. He pulled his hand up, but not away from Keith, dragging him to standing.

"You're not allowed to steal the proposal from me!" His voice was warbled, caught somewhere betwixt laughter and a sob. "You're always trying to one up me!"

"Is that a yes?"

"You better pick out a damn fancy ring. You know how picky I am!"

Keith laughed, lifting his lover, his fiancé and spinning them both. "Not too picky, you chose me." He paint made his grip slip and they tumbled onto the bed, breathless. "And by the way Lance. -Yes- a thousand times yes."

"Stop taking my lines!"


End file.
